Unruly youths pelt emergency services with eggs in Longridge

Youths pelted emergency service vehicles with eggs as members fought to gain entry to a Longridge home to check on a person’s safety.

The incident happened on Sunday shortly after 9pm as police and members of the fire and ambulance services broke into a property on Berry Lane.

PCSO Abby McDermott said a group of youths started “egging all three emergency vehicles” as the emergency services carried out their forced entry to check on the occupant, who was found to be OK.

She said a police officer, who was not from Longridge and did not know any of the youths, had radioed in to report the egg throwing incident.

Later the same night, as an agency turned out to board up the premises around 10.15pm, she said youths returned and again threw eggs.

She said some of the youths were described as being 5ft4ins tall and one of them was wearing a grey top and white bottoms.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police HQ said: “We will not tolerate any form of anti-social behaviour.

“Throwing eggs at the emergency services may be seen as a prank to the perpetrators, but it can cause alarm and distress for those targeted.

“We wish to reassure residents these incidents will be treated seriously and enquiries are on-going to find those responsible.”

The incident comes at the same time as police issue the photo of a knife (pictured) they discovered on Foleys Path - an area where the youths frequently hang out.

PCSO McDermott said: “This knife was found on Foleys Path (located between Irwell Street and Parlick Avenue) over the Easter weekend where a lot of the youths who frequently cause anti-social behaviour issues congregate.

“This is the third time we are aware of in the last six months where youths have been carrying offensive weapons.”

PCSO McDermott is now appealing to parents to be vigilant.

She is not only asking parents to check to see if items such as this knife are going missing from their homes, but is again asking the question if they know who their children are hanging around with out of school.

She said: “It is worrying that youths are carrying these weapons and even more worrying that we don’t know what their intentions are. If you have any information please contact me on 7095@lancashire.pnn.police.uk.”

Further incidents in Longridge this past week include police seizing a moped on the Kestor Lane recreation ground at 10.43pm on Sunday after a youth, believed to be a friend of the owner, crashed it and left the scene.

During the night of April 12-13 three vehicles parked on Little Lane, Coniston Close and Highfield Drive were broken into and a pair of sunglasses worth £100 stolen.

On Friday, April 14 police received a report about a group of people throwing rocks at two houses on Berry Lane around 9pm and smashing the bedroom window of one.

On Monday this week police received a report of damage caused to an unoccupied house on Derby Road where charcoal had been thrown on the carpet and walls, the roof of the garden shed had been trashed and a rear window smashed.

Police are appealing for further information regarding all the above mentioned incidents and may be contacted on 101 or 01772 209583.